


Sapphic Shorts

by rockymountainvixen



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Angst, F/F, Femslash, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-10-31 21:34:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17857346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rockymountainvixen/pseuds/rockymountainvixen
Summary: Drabbles for Tales of Arcadia femslash week 2019.





	1. Day 2: Time-Usurna/Morgana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Usurna tries to steal the Kairosect, she runs into the last person she expected.

The Kairosect clinked as Morgana idly passed it back and forth between her natural hand and her emerald prosthetic.

 

Usurna scowled, of course is wasn’t going to be this easy. She thought that Gunmar’s speech to rally his troops would the perfect time to slip down to the weapons vault, grab the Kairosect, and sneak back without anyone being the wiser. If only life went so smoothly.

 

“The Underlord has need of the Kairosect, relinquish it to me so that I may deliver it to him,”

 

Morgana gave her a smile one step short of condescending “No, he didn’t, and even if he did why would he send an Adviser to retrieve it rather than a soldier?”

 

Usurna fought to keep her hands from trembling, the green-eyed witch hadn’t been fooled for a second, she was far more clever than anyone else in Trollmarket at the moment. She would have to proceed cautiously.

 

“If you must know I received word from one of my spies that the Trollhunter and his allies are planning on ambushing Gunmar while he’s en route to the surface. I decided to retrieve the Kairosect so that if the battle went against our Underlord I could provide aid without shaming him,”

 

Morgana stood up from the pile of discarded shields she’d been lounging on “Now that story rings true, but only partially,” the witch tapped her chin thoughtfully with a gold-gauntleted finger “I think that what you say about the Trollhunter is true, but you didn’t come for the Kairosect with the intention of aiding Gunmar,” she smirked in Usurna’s direction “You wish to have it so that you may ensure that the Trollhunter is the one who walks away from battle,”

 

The Krubera queen fought to remain composed while fear seeped into her heart. Morgana had known Usurna’s intentions from the start, all the questions were just to toy with her.

 

Steeling her resolve, Usurna stared the Pale Lady dead in the eye “So what now? Will you strike me down for treason?”

 

Morgana laughed, a sound both haughty and melodious “If I wished to kill you I would have done so already. No, I want to know why you have decided to betray Gunmar after all that you have done to aid him?”

 

Usurna bit back a growl, Morgana’s patronizing tone was starting to grate on her nerves “Listen well witch, everything I’ve ever done and will do is for my people and no one else,”

 

“What could the Krubera have to gain by their queen alying them to the Skullcrusher?”

 

“It was not a matter of what the Krubera could gain, but that we couldn’t afford to lose, by allying with Gunmar I saved my subjects from the carnage he would no doubt rain upon them,”

 

“Even if that meant sacrificing poor Aarghaumont to the Gum-gum war machine?”

 

Usurna slammed the base of her staff on the stone floor “ _ Do not speak his name! _ ” the witch had gone too far this time, she had no idea of the choice Usurna had been forced to make. 

 

Sacrificing a handful of whelps to ensure the Krubera’s survival had been a decision that haunted her for centuries and would no doubt continue to do so until Usurna’s dying day. But she was the leader of her people, it wasn’t her lot to live a life of contentment. Her duty was to the Krubera, and if the cost of their safety was her peace of mind so be it. 

 

“I tire of this wordplay, are you going to slay me or not?”

 

Morgana smiled coyly at the bioluminescent troll before tossing the Kairosect towards her, reflexively Usurna caught it. 

 

“I think not,” Morgana took a step forward, there was a shift in her body language. Not predatory, but teasing.

 

“It was never my intention to rule alongside Gunmar; he is nothing but a brutal, short-sighted thug,” she looked Usurna up and down “Another queen on the other hand….”

 

Usurna was too surprised to conceal her shock, as she stared at Morgana, flabbergasted at the unexpected turn of events. Morgana chuckled at the Krubera queen’s stunned expression “Yes, that would be a much better arrangement indeed,” she sauntered out of the weapons vault, seemingly unconcerned about turning her back on Usurna “Good luck with using the Trollhunter to end Gunmar, seek me out if you are successful, we have a good deal to discuss,”

 

And with that Usurna was alone in the weapons vault, clutching the object she had come to retrieve. 

 

Morgana’s unexpected offer hung in the air. Usurna had never considered the possibility of allying herself to the pale lady before today. More than that, Morgana’s proposition stirred something in Usurna that she hadn’t felt in millenia….desire.  


	2. Day 4: Role Reversal AU-Barbmura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Trollhunter summons the leader of the Janus order to a one-on-one meeting, but what does she have in mind?

Nomura looked down at her watch.

 

11:59pm.

 

She took a deep breath and grabbed the lightpost on the side of the bridge to steady herself. Even though it was almost midnight; the cloudless sky and bright, full moon illuminated the bridge she was standing on.

 

She was going to come.

 

Nomura risked another glance at her watch.

 

12:01am

 

Even though it was only a minute it wasn’t like her to be late, what if she--

 

A dull thump above her derailed Nomura’s train of thought. Looking upward, she found herself staring into the glowing eyes of a tall, winged troll standing on top of the street light.

 

She had come just as she said she would. Not as the human doctor Barbara Lake, but the leader of the Janus order, Brunhilda of the Lakelands, in her full glory.

 

“You’re here,” 

 

Barbara glided down from the lamppost and landed right in front of her “As I said I would be, I trust you came alone?”

 

Nomura nodded “I did, we need to talk, just the two of us,”

 

“Why?” Barbara asked impassively “We both know how things are, there’s nothing to say,”

 

A human snarl was probably nothing to someone used to getting bellowed at by Draal the Deadly on a regular basis, nevertheless, Nomura gave it her best shot “No, you don’t get to do that, you don’t get to lead me on, lie to me, try to  _ kill _ me, and then say we have nothing to talk about,”

 

Barbara’s apathetic mask slipped just a little bit “Maybe you’re right, but it still changes nothing,”

 

Knowing this line of interrogation was going to lead nowhere, Nomura changed tactics “Let’s say I never found the amulet and became the Trollhunter, what was your plan for us once Kanjigar and his hordes retook the surface?”

 

“If you must know,” Barbara hissed through her tusks “I had planned on setting you, along with a select group of humans chosen by the order, aside in one of our safehouses,”

 

“So what? Were we supposed to be grateful about being saved while all of our friends and family were slaughtered?”

 

Barbara snarled and flared her wings in agitation “If you just asked me here to argue over what ifs, then we really do have nothing to talk about,”

 

Nomura forced herself to calm down, despite the conflicted emotions she had toward the changeling, she had asked her here for a specific purpose. 

 

“That’s not why I asked you to meet me,” she took a deep breath, now or never “I want you and the Janus order to join me, to join the Trollhunters, in the fight against Kanjigar,”

 

Barbara looked at her blankly for a few seconds before she started laughing, a bitter, empty sound.

 

“I can’t tell if you’re really that foolish or just naive,”

 

“I’m serious Barbara, together we--,”

 

“Stop,” Barbara cut her off harshly “There is no ‘we’, Trollmarket will never accept us changelings and my people will never betray Kanjigar, the sooner you banish this pipe dream of yours the better,”

 

“But  _ why _ ,” Nomura pleaded “Why do you have to serve Kanjigar?”

 

Barbara scoffed “You know why, when he retakes the surface, changelings will finally be considered equals in his kingdom,”

 

“Now who’s being naive,” Nomura shot back “Do you  _ really  _ think that Kanjigar’s going to keep that promise, you’ve been dealing with Draal for centuries, what makes you think his father’s any better?”

 

Barbara snarled and flared her wings menacingly while stalking forward “Because he will be in our debt, he knows that he can’t retake the surface without our help--”

 

“And once he does, you and the entire Janus order become disposable,”

 

Barbara opened her mouth but Nomura cut her off before she could say anything “Half the order might be brainwashed, but I know you’re too smart for that. You should be able to figure out that Kanjigar and the rest of the Gum-gums are never going to see you as anything more than impures,”

 

“You listen--”

 

Nomura was on a roll now “You once told me betrayal was a changeling’s bread and butter, why not betray Kanjigar when a better offer comes along?”

 

“I--,”

 

“And what you told me just now, how you and the order were planning on keeping some people safe from him, you don’t want to wipe out humans, none of you do, you’re just going along with Kanjigar’s orders,”

 

“That’s en--”

 

“What I want to know Barbara is why, why do you insist on serving a tyrant that you know will betray you!”

 

Barbara broke “We’ve come too far!”

 

The night air was silent for a beat, save for both of their frantic breathing.

 

Barbara’s wings and shoulders slumped as she sank to her knees, Nomura tensely gripped her amulet. For the first time in a long time Nomura thought that she could see behind the doctor’s mask.

 

“....for centuries we’ve done his bidding, all the deceit, the espionage….Gorgus forgive us we even participated in raids to steal future changelings,” 

 

Barbara looked up at Nomura, she looked so tired.

 

“Even if Trollmarket was to let go of their blind hatred for changelings, and they never will, we’ve given them ample reason to despise us,”

 

Nomura got down on her knees to look Barbara in the eye “I can’t make them accept you, but if you help us defeat Kanjigar we can make them see another side of you, we can change how things are,”

 

Barbara gave another humorless chuckle “There is no changing how things are, the Janus order has gone too far down the road it’s on, the only thing left to do is see it to the end,” she looked into Nomura’s eyes and smiled bitterly “What you speak of is impossible,”

 

Nomura’s fingers gripped her amulet so tight one of it’s ticking hands drew blood. She wasn’t going to give in that easy. Despite the betrayal she had felt at learning the doctor she had been dating was a changeling hell-bent on unleashing the Gum-gum horde, she still felt something toward her. 

 

Now seeing both sides of her, Nomura knew her feelings weren’t a fluke. She adored the kind doctor she had gotten to know and she respected the cunning leader of the changelings. She loved both sides of Barbara. If there was a future where the Trollhunter and the leader of the Janus order could be by each other's side, Nomura wanted to fight for it.

 

“Like a human become the Trollhunter is impossible, or a human going toe to toe with Draal and coming out on top, taking one of his arms in the process?” 

 

Encouraged by the lack of biting replies on Barbara’s end, Nomura took the changeling’s hands in her own “Barbara we’re  _ living _ the impossible right now, and if we work together we can do so many more impossible things,” 

 

Barbara squeezed Nomura’s hands and looked into her eyes, centuries worth of cynicism warring with tenuous hope on her face “You’re talking about persuading not one, but two races that despise each other to fight side by side. There are so many ways for the alliance you speak of to fail, and if it does….” she trailed off, leaving to two of them in silence. 

 

Nomura let go of Barbara’s hands and walked over to the edge of the bridge gazing out at the moon-washed canal “Do you know why I chose this as our meeting spot?”

 

“Our first kiss….” Barbara said softly.

 

“Things may have changed, but my feelings for you haven’t. More than defeating Kanjigar, I want this for  _ us _ ,”

 

That caused Barbara to look up sharply.

 

Nomura continued “Look, I know I’m just a human--”

 

“ _ Just _ a human?” Barbara interrupted while coming to stand at her side “If someone had told me a year ago that a human would become Trollhunter, not only that but do a halfway decent job of it….” the changeling stepped closer, near enough that her wings could envelop the both of them “You are more than just a human, you’ve evaded my agents, defeated Draal, defeated _ me _ . Nomura, human or not, you are an incredible Trollhunter,”

 

Nomura hoped that her blush wasn’t too obvious, hearing Barbara praise her like this sent heat straight to her cheeks.

 

“That’s why….” Barbara straightened her wings and squared her shoulders “I accept your offer, I can’t say who in the order will join you, but from now on you can count me among your allies,”

 

“Barbara….” 

 

“If you’ll have me that is,”

 

Nomura rushed forward and enveloped Barbara in a tight hug, heedless of the wings and sharp edges digging into her arms and abdomen “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!”

 

Barbara stiffened at the unexpected embrace, before relaxing and shifting into her human form to properly hug the Trollhunter back.

 

The two of them stayed that way for a while, enjoying the other’s company and the comfort of the embrace, before eventually pulling apart. 

 

“We should let the others know,” Nomura spoke up “The last thing I want is them getting the wrong idea,”

 

“Now’s a good a time as any,” Barbara replied “And seeing as we’re so close to the entrance to Trollmarket, what do you say we get this over with?”

 

Nomura chuckled at that “Sounds good to me,”

 

The two of them walked off the bridge and into the canal. Approaching the wall that would lead them into Trollmarket as Nomura pulled out a horngazle.

 

She reached over for one of Barbara’s hands, squeezing it slightly “Ready?”

 

Barbara gave her a squeeze back “As I’ll ever be,”

 

Nomura drew an arch across the concrete wall, opening the gateway; allowing the two of them to walk in together, towards a bright future of their own making. One for both humans and changeling, one that they could share. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some context for this AU, Nomura is the human Trollhunter and Barbara is the changeling leader of the Janus order. They dated for a while before Nomura found the amulet, she kept her status as the Trollhunter secret until the both learned about each other's roles shortly before the second battle of Kilahead. Aside from them, the following characters have traded places.  
> Kanjigar<->Gunmar  
> Draal<->Bular  
> Blinky<->Dictacious  
> AAARRRGGHH<->Angor Rot  
> Vendel<->Usurna  
> Strickler and Otto fill the roles of Claire and Toby insofar as they're Nomura's platonic friends/allies and wield the Shadowstaff and Warhammer respectively. I really liked setting up this AU, I might go back and write more from it some day.


	3. Day 5: Acceleration and Relaxation-Mary/Claire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire and Mary's latest date involves a gyre trip.

Mary clutched the picnic basket and eyed the spherical contraption warily “Are you sure this is is safe Claire?”

 

Claire jumped into the innermost sphere of the strange vehicle without a care in the world “Positive, now hop in so we can get this show in the road,”

 

Mary swallowed hard and stepped in. When Claire had proposed going on a picnic, she had imagined going to the park, or at the most the lookout point right outside of town. Instead, Claire had promised a trip to a more exotic location by way of this….gyre….

 

On one side of the sphere Claire fiddled with what looked to be a control panel “You ready?”

 

She set down the basket and gingerly took a seat “You bet,”

 

Sporting an ecstatic grin, Claire twisted a large knob and prepared to pull a large switch “Then hang on tight,”

 

Instinctively, Mary grabbed the handle of the basket just as Claire yanked the switch.

 

Centrifugal force pinned her against the far side of the sphere as the gyre raced along the tunnel at impossibly fast speeds. 

 

She was about to call out to Claire to slow this metal death trap down when they made a sharp turn. The laws of physics being what they were, Mary was jerked to one side of the gyre, only to be pulled back in the opposite direction as they made another turn.

 

Soon, she was holding the picnic basket like a life preserver while the gyre shook her around like a ragdoll in a washing machine. Mary sent out a silent plea to the universe that they got wherever they were going quickly so she could stop being tossed around at Mach 3. 

 

Finally, the gyre lurched to a stop. Completely unruffled, Claire stepped away from the control panel “Alright, we’re here. How was your first gyre trip?”

 

“....gabba, blagga shuba na….”

 

Claire winced and went to help Mary to her feet “Sorry, the gyre takes a little getting used to, you ok?”

 

Mary fought to maintain her balance while standing up “Yeah, I’ll be ok” she stumbled off the gyre “So you going to tell me what our picnic’s mystery location is?”

 

The blue haired girl grinned back at her as she used the horngazle to open a door in the solid rock “Why don’t you see for yourself?”

 

Curious, Mary peeked outside. The sight of coral blue ocean and pristine white sands greeted her “Is this--”

 

“Hawaii!” Claire declared “It’s part of the island chain, but it’s too small for most maps, making it the perfect spot for a romantic picnic for two,”

 

Mary took in the sight of the picturesque island around her “Ok, this was definitely worth the ride to get here,” she picked a comfy looking spot underneath a large tree and sat down “Now let’s eat,”

 

Claire perked up at the mention of food and darted over to sit beside Mary “Now it’s your turn, what did you pack?”

 

With a flourish that was only a little over-dramatic, Mary opened the lid of the basket and proudly displayed the contents within “Tea sandwiches, fruit salad on a stick, and for dessert, salted caramel brownies,”

 

Claire’s eyes glittered at the delectable spread “Did you seriously make all this!”

 

“Nah, I just got Jim to make it in exchange for tickets to the vespa convention for him and Steve,”

 

Claire popped a sandwich square into her mouth and sighed at the delicious taste “Jim sure does know how to cook,”

 

Mary nibbled one of the fruit salad skewers “Only the best for my Claire-bear,”


	4. Day 6: Last Kiss-Darci/Aja

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The both knew this day was coming, but that didn't make it any easier.

Aja placed two of her four hands on Darci’s shoulders and fought to not cry. This was so much harder than she thought it would be.

 

“Hey, you don’t have to explain,” Darci reached out and grabbed Aja’s two remaining hands with hers “You have your parents, and your brother, and your people; I would never expect you to stay when they all need you,”

 

The wetness on her cheeks told Aja that she had lost the battle of holding back her tears “I wish I wasn’t queen in waiting, I wish I was being a normal girl, who could stay here on earth, with you….”

 

Unable to bear it any longer, the afro-headed girl pulled Aja into a hug that she quickly reciprocated. 

 

Aja squeezed her as tight as she dared, wanting to burn Darci’s memory into her skin, to create an image in her mind that she could cherish for the rest of her life.

 

The damp feeling on her chest told her that Darci was crying to.

 

The roar of Mother’s engines from behind her was a reminder of Aja’s unavoidable departure. Still the two girls clung to each other, both wanting their embrace to just last a little longer.

 

All too soon, Krel called out from the ship that it was time for them to leave.

 

They looked at each other, both faces streaked with tears.

 

Aja spoke up first “....we are never going to be seeing each other again, are we?”

 

A sob broke free from Darci’s throat as she leapt up and threw her arms around Aja’s neck.

 

“I won’t ever forget you,” she choked out past her tears “Even when I’m ninety years old and living in a nursing home I’ll always remember you,”

 

Aja let out an anguished sob of her own “I will remember you to, even when I am becoming queen, I will always remember the time we shared,”

 

Darci looked into her eyes, Aja’s heartbroken expression mirroring her own, before leaning in for a kiss.

 

This was not their first kiss.

 

They had shared many kisses. Shy kisses on the cheek. Quick kisses when they met between classes. Long, impassioned kisses beneath starry skies on summer nights.

 

This was not their first kiss, but it would be their last.

 

Krel shouted again from the ship, more frantic this time.

 

The two girls pulled apart. A fresh wave of sobs threatened to break free from Aja when Darci stroked the side of her face.

 

It was now or never.

 

She gave the earth girl’s fingers one final squeeze “Goodbye Darci,”

 

Darci squeezed her back “Goodbye Aja,”

 

Even though it was almost physically painful to do so, Aja turned away from Darci and walked aboard Mother. She didn’t look back, if she looked back now she would never be able to leave. 

 

All too soon, the hatch sealed shut behind her. Krel approached her, mouth open in preparation for an apology.

 

Aja waved him off, she wasn’t mad at Krel, none of this was his fault, but she really  needed to be alone right now.

 

Taking the hint, Krel walked back to the command center as the engines revved in preparation for takeoff. 

 

Only now did Aja allow herself to look out the window at the girl she left behind. 

 

Darci hadn’t moved at all, still standing alone in the forest clearing, tears openly flowing down her face as she watched the ship depart.

 

Aja looked back at the girl she loved, even as Mother rose into the atmosphere and Darci and the forest surrounding her disappeared from view. Even as the planet Earth itself shrank while Mother flew further away, Aja kept her eyes locked on the spot in the distance where she imagined Darci would be.

 

It was only when the star of Earth’s solar system faded from sight that Aja sank to her knees and let out a grief stricken wail. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I made myself sad with this one.


	5. Day 7: Into the Woods-Morgana/Barbara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chance encounter on her drive home changes Barbara's life forever.

 

Pine needles crunched under Barbara’s feet as she half dragged, half carried the semi-conscious girl deeper into the woods.

 

Shannon, she said her name was Shannon.

 

An hour earlier, Barbara had gotten the second biggest shock of her life when Shannon dashed out in front of her car, nearly getting hit in the process. This was shortly followed by the biggest shock of her life when she saw that Shannon was sporting a pair of glittering butterfly wings. Additionally, she had an arrow embedded in her shoulder that prevented her from using said wings to get away from the pursuers that were rapidly gaining on her.

 

Thinking quickly, Barbara had hidden Shannon in the back of her car and managed to set the group of men holding compound bows on a false trail.

 

Once they were out of danger, Barbara had given Shannon first aid for her injury and offered to take her to the hospital.

 

Shannon had declined, saying that the only one who could help her was her mother.

 

That lead them to where they were now, Barbara supporting Shannon while they stumbled through the trees looking for Shannon’s mother.

 

Barbara eyed the blood soaked bandage on the girl’s shoulder, cursing herself for not just taking the girl straight to the hospital “Shannon, are we getting close?”

 

“....s no far….” Shannon slurred out, weary from shock and blood loss “....clrn ahd….”

 

Looking into the distance, Barbara say that there was indeed a clearing just up ahead. Tightening her grip on Shannon, she moved toward it as fast as she dared.

 

The clearing was a disappointment, just a clear circle of land surrounded by miles of forest on all sides. Barbara looked around with growing anxiety, very conscious that she was in the wilderness miles away from any kind of infrastructure, with a seriously injured girl.

 

Desperately glancing around, Barbara noticed something, the clearing was surrounded by statues. Not the Greco-Roman kind, but statues of angular looking creatures in all shapes, sizes, and colors; sporting exotic additions such as horns and tails and extra limbs.

 

Then one of the statues moved.

 

Barbara realized that none of them were statues at all.

 

Ignoring the frantic beating of heart, she did her best to put Shannon behind her and surveyed the advancing figures, debating on whether or not to run.

 

But before the not-statues could reach them, a brilliant burst of light illuminated the clearing from the far side.

 

Barbara turned toward the source of the light, only to be greeted by the sight of the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Dressed in shimmering gold armour all the way to her fingertips, inky black hair falling in gentle waves down to her feet, glittering wings that looked like they had been carved from a massive emerald.

 

Shannon raised her head ever so slightly “....mom….”

 

Barbara glanced back and forth between the injured girl on her arm and the luminous woman, Shannon’s mother.

 

The woman ran across the clearing and came to Shannon’s side. Knowing that the girl was safe now, Barbara stepped aside and let mother and daughter reunite.

 

The two of them shared a brief whispered conversation, with Shannon resting her head against her mother’s shoulder while she combed her fingers through Shannon’s hair.

 

Shannon’s mother snapped her fingers, one of the not-statues came over to her and gently picked Shannon up before walking away with two more not-statues following.

 

Only now, did their focus shift toward Barbara.

 

“Thank you for saving my daughter’s life,” the woman said in a clear, melodious voice “May I ask your name?”

 

Barbara struggled to form a coherent reply “Buh-Barbara Lake….ma’am,”

 

The woman smiled at her “Well then Barbara Lake, I am Morgana, Queen of the Fay,”

 

Barbara nodded to show she understood, how did someone reply to an introduction like that anyway.

 

Morgana turned and gestured for Barbara to follow her “Come, I wish to know the woman who saved my child from certain death,”

 

Barbara looked back and forth between Morgana and the dark woods in the opposite direction; debating whether or not to follow her or make a dash for her car.

 

Eventually, curiosity won out over caution and she followed Morgana between the illuminated trees.

 

The not-statues were everywhere, following alongside her or skulking in the distance as mere suggestions of shadow and movement.

 

Morgana laughed when Barbara jumped upon seeing one come particularly close “Fear not, my Changelings will cause you no harm,”

 

Eventually they made their way to a glen surrounded by small hills on three sides. Upon closer inspection, the bumps and dips in the hills around them resembled chairs and footstools. Barbara theorized that this was some kind of Fairy reception area.

 

Morgana took a seat in one of the grassy knolls and invited Barbara to do the same. Barbara complied, finding the ground surprisingly soft and comfortable.

 

“So tell me of yourself Barbara Lake,” Morgana asked

 

“Well, I live over in Arcadia with my son, I am….” she choked up at the horrible memory from earlier today “Or I was, a doctor,”

 

That piqued Morgana’s interest “Your status as a healer was revoked?”

 

“No, I’m still a licensed physician,” how to explain this to a Fairy queen that may or may not know how capitalism worked “The hospital I worked for lost a lot of money and had to get rid of some of its employees, including me,”

 

Morgana tapped her chin thoughtfully “If I understand correctly, you are still qualified as a healer, but because the Guild that employed you lost funding, they can no longer sponsor you,”

 

Barbara nodded, that was more or less the case.

 

Morgana smiled at her, a slow, easy knowing smile “In that case, why don’t you come work for me,”

 

It took a little while for the Fairy queen’s words to register “huh?”

 

“Rather than find work among the humans, you enter my services,” Morgana explained casually, as if fairies interviewed human doctors for jobs on a regular basis.

 

“I-- it’s just, I’m flattered but--” Barbara fumbled for an articulate response “I can’t just leave and come work for you, Jim, my son, he needs me,”

 

Morgana laughed, high and silvery “You misunderstand, I do not need another servant in my court,” she locked her emerald eyes onto Barbara’s blue ones, all traces of mirth gone now “I need someone that can act on my behalf within the human realm, my enemies are numerous and cunning, and as you saw with Shannon, ruthless,”

 

Barbara hesitated, sure she didn’t _need_ to work for Morgana, a little job searching and she could find work at another hospital, but where would that leave her. Another job working crazy hours to support a son that she couldn’t even spend time with because of said hours.

 

Beyond that, Barbara wanted to see more of this fantastical world she had somehow stumbled into. And then there was Morgana herself.

 

A job where she could support her son, actually _see_ her son, and spend time with the most fascinating, sublime woman she had ever met, how could she say no.

 

“Ok, I accept, I’ll work for you,”

 

Morgana clapped her hands in delight “Splendid! I will make the arrangements, for now you may return to Arcadia,”

 

She stood up and began leading Barbara through the trees back to the doctor’s car “On the next full moon meet me at the southern edge of my forest, I’ll have your first assignment by then,”

 

“Got it,” Barbara replied “Full moon, southern border,”

 

“And if you desire to, you may bring your son, it is only proper that your child should become acquainted with my children,”

 

That made Barbara pause “Wait, children, plural?”

 

Morgana chuckled, as if it was common knowledge that Fairy queens had multiple offspring “Yes, Shannon may be my heir, but I am mother to many,”

 

They fell into silence while Barbara speculated to herself what Morgana’s other children could be like. All too soon, they came to the shoulder Barbara had parked in.

 

“This is where we part for now Barbara Lake,”

 

Then, quite unexpectedly, Morgana leaned in and kissed Barbara on the cheek.

 

She smiled back at the stunned doctor “Until the next full moon,”

 

With that Morgana turned and vanished back into the woods, leaving Barbara alone, with only the memory of petal soft lips against her cheek.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end, had a lot of fun doing these drabbles for femslash week. Thank you to everyone that gave kudos or comments.


End file.
